I have been learning Russian and Arabic for a long time. From that experience, I would suggest for anyone learning any foreign language, study deeply how a basic sentence is put together and learn its meaning in your most dominant language. Then go deep into inflections, declensions, verb conjugations, etc. etc.
I started with Pharr's Homeric Greek. The advantage is that you immediately get a story that will engage you as you learn the grammar and that the repetitive nature of epic aids in vocabulary acquisition. The disadvantage is that you do not learn the important conditions of Greek at the same formative stage as those who start with Attic and that the variations in vowel length in epic and some other poetic genres do not carry into prose.
Not to argue with this as I think your points are spot on but learning Modern Greek really does help you to learn Ancient Greek. By this I mean learning to speak Modern Greek. You will find that you will pick up grammar more naturally and firmly if you speak Greek and you will have constant and motivating "aha" moments concerning vocabulary, etymology and so on. Find a good Greek program such as Pimsleur or better yet a native Greek speaker to practice with or even better go to Greece!
Learning Italian also somewhat helps you speak Latin… but it’s just a big waste of time in slightly the right direction when you could’ve just been learning the language the whole time.
Instead of thinking that you have to climb Grammar Mountain, it's more fun to think of skiing DOWN Grammar Mountain. Your aim is an exhilarating, precarious and often scary race down to your final goal, having a whooping great time all the way. As the Greeks say, "Opa"!
Truly a view from the foothills of Greek’s Grammar Mountain. Speaking as an average Joe, your description of the trail is spot on. I laughed out loud when I saw JACT, Greek to GCSE and Athenaze straddling the peak. Nice to know that other mere mortals have struggled to gain a foothold as much as myself. Thanks for the video, I haven’t seen any other so relatable a video as this in 8 years of study.
1:17 - I’m a “colourful local”, and you can talk to me in Ancient Greek to your heart’s content: I will understand what you say, and I will respond to you in the same language. As for (Ancient) Greek being a dead language, Ancient, Middle or Modern, I assure you: it’s all Greek to me...Greetings from Delphi, Greece! 🌿🏛🇬🇷
What's the point of studying Latin or Ancient Greek? To read books, to speak to scholars or priests, to write letters or books, or to compose poetry. The universities used to teach in Latin until the 18th century, and some exams continued to be held in Latin well into the 19th century. The College of Physicians in London (founded 1518) usually held their oral exam in Latin until the 19th century, but there was the option for it to be held in Ancient Greek. Only a handful of people ever took up the offer. Verse composition used to be the summit of achievement at school or, more often, university. In England there used to be public examinations for National Scholarships, which paid for you to go to university before the local authorities started giving out grants (after the war) to everyone whose parents were not well off. These became assimilated into the GCE system as Special papers to be taken with or after A Levels. In Latin and Greek there were two standard S Level papers, and the option of a third in Verse Composition. I don't know if anyone took them in recent years. Oxford and Cambridge also offered cash prizes to undergraduates for poetry in the classical languages. That's rather like how Classical (Mandarin) Chinese used to be encouraged. I am not aware of anyone publishing these student compositions in modern times: they must still lie mouldering in the archives. That activity went on from about the 16th century.
Very helpful overview. Thank you! But why not start with the books of high school: gymnasium? Adolescents of 12 till about 18 year learn Greek and Latin and the books they use are excellent in creating a solid foundation of these classic languages. And as a bonus they introduce a lot of interesting history and geography.
First of all sir, ancient Greek is NOT a dead language, but a language that we Greeks (and not only)use still today, incorporated in the new Greek (as in English) and using in daily life. The pronunciation changed, but the words remained. The way sentences form changed of course. Some words we use as they were and some involved. Like nyx (night) became nykti (Koine)and then nychta (new) We also still follow the same writing system.(Orthography). You (or somebody else ) translated the sentence: the last word incorrect. The last word is not serve but adore.
Greek is not a dead language. Most of the text you get in your video, I understand 80% or more, and many of the words are the same as those in Koine Greek, which is close to modern Greek. Don't forget that Koine, up until the '70s, was the official language, and then came the Demotic Greek that we speak today.
Ancient Greek is not a dead language, it's the same language. However it has changed, but not to the extent of calling it a dead language. For example the phrase that you give from the Bible, can easily be read by a natve Greek speaker of today and thoroughly understood. It would be like a native English speaker reading Shakespeare, different yet understood. Perhaps, and most probably, you're confusing the Erasmus pronunciation as being the ancient Greek language.
@@teachandfunnstuff3127What you think and what is are two different things, furthermore, it is not a thousand years, it's more closer to three thousand years. What you think! Are you serious, you are either a troll, a child, or a complete fool.
@wungabunga Why? The literature and intellectual output of Ancient Greek is far, far, far superior to anything the Romans did. Latin literature absolutely sucks and is in every way inferior to what the Germans, the French, and the British accomplished in creative literature.
Ancient Greek is not a dead language. Ancient Greek isn't a language. Greek is the language. "Ancient" (Classical Attic in this case) is just its form at a certain point in history.
@@genesisbustamante-durian no. What twisted logic is that? The language is Greek. Archaic, Ancient, Hellenistic Koine, Modern are just different points of its age. Is your 5 years old self dead because now you 've got older!? Jeez, what is wrong with everyone and is so passionate to "kill our" language? It's not darn Latin which was a different language and now it has been replaced with its descendant Romance language, Greek is the same language ffs!
@@eleftheriosmas Old Spanish is dead, Old English is dead. Old French is dead. Homeric Greek is dead. Attic Greek is dead. Proto-German is dead. Old High German is dead. Latin is dead. It's easy to understand.
@@genesisbustamante-durian the language is a live organism. This is the way you have to perceive this entity. Doesn't die it transforms it may be modified ...it's glossoplasticity generates new meanings or reshape older... The point is that Greek of the mentioned era as well other live daily with us ...through expression, words grammar , you will be amazed how many thousands of words we are using ! :)
Classical Attic Greek was spoken around the same time as proto Germanic, and long before old English. Like those, it was an older, much older, version of the language than is spoken today and it is not intelligible to the modern speakers for all that it is the ancestor of the language today. Classical Attic Greek is no more modern Greek than proto Germanic is Berliner Deutsch or Old English as you might find in Beowulf is modern OED English. I can read and write and speak in English rather fluently, and because of that I can readily understand most of Shakespeare, but the original of Beowulf is nearly entirely beyond me (and then only my vague familiarity with old Norse and German give me a leg up on figuring anything out and I’m still wrong almost as often as I’m right). Modern Greek is undeniably and distinctly the direct and immediate descendent of Classical Attic Greek and a modern Greek native speaker would be better able to decipher most Classical Attic Greek texts than a native Mandarin Chinese speaker or a native English speaker, but just as King Charles is the direct descendant of Queen Victoria without that changing the fact that she herself is dead and he is not her, so Modern Greek being descended from Classical Attic Greek does not change the fact that it is itself dead as a widespread conversational language and they are not the same despite definite familiar resemblance.
Never see the grammar in your first encounter with a language. Make sentences in modern Greek. Find someone that speaks modern Greek who at the same time is fluent in koine and orthodox Church language.
@@thomaswest4033 you should define Ancient Greek. Homeric? Classical? Hellenistic coine? Those are the three forms of “Ancient Greek”. A modern Greek can understand the koine form almost fluently, whilst 85% of the vocabulary in Homeric Greek is still in use today throughout the derivatives and the particles that keep reproducing this superb living tongue to this day. So it is simply “Greek”. According to UNESCO, Greek and Chinese are the only living languages with direct connection to their archaic origins on the planet. Only one who speaks modern Greek fluently can partake in this blissful timelessness, to the annoyance of those who would like to shun it. This may shed some light: th-cam.com/video/-BvKpk7SUrQ/w-d-xo.html
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I have been learning Russian and Arabic for a long time. From that experience, I would suggest for anyone learning any foreign language, study deeply how a basic sentence is put together and learn its meaning in your most dominant language. Then go deep into inflections, declensions, verb conjugations, etc. etc.
This is so straightforward and methodic. Very helpful. I've become interested in ancient Greek history and decided to climb Grammer mountain.
How's it been going?
An extremely thoughtful and intelligent discussion. I’m trying to learn Latin but almost everything was relevant and very useful. Thank you!
I started with Pharr's Homeric Greek. The advantage is that you immediately get a story that will engage you as you learn the grammar and that the repetitive nature of epic aids in vocabulary acquisition. The disadvantage is that you do not learn the important conditions of Greek at the same formative stage as those who start with Attic and that the variations in vowel length in epic and some other poetic genres do not carry into prose.
This has been so helpful, it's just perfect for a beginner to get a handle on. Thanks, keep the series going please.
Please, continue the series!
Sometimes I'd rather read old books rather than talk to people.
Rock on..
Not to argue with this as I think your points are spot on but learning Modern Greek really does help you to learn Ancient Greek. By this I mean learning to speak Modern Greek. You will find that you will pick up grammar more naturally and firmly if you speak Greek and you will have constant and motivating "aha" moments concerning vocabulary, etymology and so on. Find a good Greek program such as Pimsleur or better yet a native Greek speaker to practice with or even better go to Greece!
Learning Italian also somewhat helps you speak Latin… but it’s just a big waste of time in slightly the right direction when you could’ve just been learning the language the whole time.
Instead of thinking that you have to climb Grammar Mountain, it's more fun to think of skiing DOWN Grammar Mountain. Your aim is an exhilarating, precarious and often scary race down to your final goal, having a whooping great time all the way. As the Greeks say, "Opa"!
Looking forward to Part 4!
Truly a view from the foothills of Greek’s Grammar Mountain. Speaking as an average Joe, your description of the trail is spot on.
I laughed out loud when I saw JACT, Greek to GCSE and Athenaze straddling the peak. Nice to know that other mere mortals have struggled to gain a foothold as much as myself.
Thanks for the video, I haven’t seen any other so relatable a video as this in 8 years of study.
Thank you! I'm about to embark on the Great Courses for Ancient Greek and this was very helpful.
A very helpful wee series. I'm sorry it came to an end!
1:17 - I’m a “colourful local”, and you can talk to me in Ancient Greek to your heart’s content: I will understand what you say, and I will respond to you in the same language. As for (Ancient) Greek being a dead language, Ancient, Middle or Modern, I assure you: it’s all Greek to me...Greetings from Delphi, Greece! 🌿🏛🇬🇷
Very accurate experienced points ! Congrats !
Thank you that website is perfect
I have never look anything up to do with ancient Greek but here this is and I'm interested
Thanks man 👏
I really like your series
What's the point of studying Latin or Ancient Greek? To read books, to speak to scholars or priests, to write letters or books, or to compose poetry. The universities used to teach in Latin until the 18th century, and some exams continued to be held in Latin well into the 19th century. The College of Physicians in London (founded 1518) usually held their oral exam in Latin until the 19th century, but there was the option for it to be held in Ancient Greek. Only a handful of people ever took up the offer.
Verse composition used to be the summit of achievement at school or, more often, university. In England there used to be public examinations for National Scholarships, which paid for you to go to university before the local authorities started giving out grants (after the war) to everyone whose parents were not well off. These became assimilated into the GCE system as Special papers to be taken with or after A Levels. In Latin and Greek there were two standard S Level papers, and the option of a third in Verse Composition. I don't know if anyone took them in recent years.
Oxford and Cambridge also offered cash prizes to undergraduates for poetry in the classical languages. That's rather like how Classical (Mandarin) Chinese used to be encouraged. I am not aware of anyone publishing these student compositions in modern times: they must still lie mouldering in the archives. That activity went on from about the 16th century.
Very helpful overview. Thank you! But why not start with the books of high school: gymnasium? Adolescents of 12 till about 18 year learn Greek and Latin and the books they use are excellent in creating a solid foundation of these classic languages. And as a bonus they introduce a lot of interesting history and geography.
Can you please do you book review on this "Easy Ancient Greek Practice:" book?
Very helpful, thank you for sharing
Really good videos, keep it up :)
Question: so you have never been at the decoding stage?
This was awesome
Many people are fluent in Ancient Greek. You can speak to them conversationally.
First of all sir, ancient Greek is NOT a dead language, but a language that we Greeks (and not only)use still today, incorporated in the new Greek (as in English) and using in daily life. The pronunciation changed, but the words remained. The way sentences form changed of course. Some words we use as they were and some involved. Like nyx (night) became nykti (Koine)and then nychta (new) We also still follow the same writing system.(Orthography). You (or somebody else ) translated the sentence: the last word incorrect. The last word is not serve but adore.
I think it would be cool to read Marcus Aurelius in ancient Greek.
How do you say "Marcus Aurelius was a fool as a father, and probably stole his proverbs to be known as an intellectual"?
Meditations was never meant to be published, so what do you mean by 'stole'?
What about the old testament?
What about it? What do you mean
Greek is not a dead language. Most of the text you get in your video, I understand 80% or more, and many of the words are the same as those in Koine Greek, which is close to modern Greek. Don't forget that Koine, up until the '70s, was the official language, and then came the Demotic Greek that we speak today.
Anybody here have access to an interlinear, or an annotated theogony?
Try Dan Wallace?
Ancient Greek is not a dead language, it's the same language. However it has changed, but not to the extent of calling it a dead language. For example the phrase that you give from the Bible, can easily be read by a natve Greek speaker of today and thoroughly understood. It would be like a native English speaker reading Shakespeare, different yet understood. Perhaps, and most probably, you're confusing the Erasmus pronunciation as being the ancient Greek language.
I think modern and ancient greek are completely different. No way a language can stand for almost a thousand years
@@teachandfunnstuff3127What you think and what is are two different things, furthermore, it is not a thousand years, it's more closer to three thousand years.
What you think! Are you serious, you are either a troll, a child, or a complete fool.
@@teachandfunnstuff3127 on the contrary ! It interconnected and lured !
@@teachandfunnstuff3127stop thinking and ask someone who speaks Greek
Ευχαριστώ!🙏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏Εγο φιλω το Ελληνικός γλώσσα 🙏❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Yeah I think I’ll go with Latin. 😂
@wungabunga
Why? The literature and intellectual output of Ancient Greek is far, far, far superior to anything the Romans did. Latin literature absolutely sucks and is in every way inferior to what the Germans, the French, and the British accomplished in creative literature.
Gods almighty,how to kill any enthusiasm for learning,god's
Ancient Greek is not a dead language. Ancient Greek isn't a language. Greek is the language. "Ancient" (Classical Attic in this case) is just its form at a certain point in history.
But it is a sistematic way of speaking, and no one speaks it anymore. So it's dead. A dead "something".
@@genesisbustamante-durian no. What twisted logic is that? The language is Greek. Archaic, Ancient, Hellenistic Koine, Modern are just different points of its age. Is your 5 years old self dead because now you 've got older!?
Jeez, what is wrong with everyone and is so passionate to "kill our" language? It's not darn Latin which was a different language and now it has been replaced with its descendant Romance language, Greek is the same language ffs!
@@eleftheriosmas Old Spanish is dead, Old English is dead. Old French is dead. Homeric Greek is dead. Attic Greek is dead. Proto-German is dead. Old High German is dead. Latin is dead.
It's easy to understand.
@@genesisbustamante-durian the language is a live organism. This is the way you have to perceive this entity. Doesn't die it transforms it may be modified ...it's glossoplasticity generates new meanings or reshape older... The point is that Greek of the mentioned era as well other live daily with us ...through expression, words grammar , you will be amazed how many thousands of words we are using ! :)
Classical Attic Greek was spoken around the same time as proto Germanic, and long before old English. Like those, it was an older, much older, version of the language than is spoken today and it is not intelligible to the modern speakers for all that it is the ancestor of the language today. Classical Attic Greek is no more modern Greek than proto Germanic is Berliner Deutsch or Old English as you might find in Beowulf is modern OED English. I can read and write and speak in English rather fluently, and because of that I can readily understand most of Shakespeare, but the original of Beowulf is nearly entirely beyond me (and then only my vague familiarity with old Norse and German give me a leg up on figuring anything out and I’m still wrong almost as often as I’m right). Modern Greek is undeniably and distinctly the direct and immediate descendent of Classical Attic Greek and a modern Greek native speaker would be better able to decipher most Classical Attic Greek texts than a native Mandarin Chinese speaker or a native English speaker, but just as King Charles is the direct descendant of Queen Victoria without that changing the fact that she herself is dead and he is not her, so Modern Greek being descended from Classical Attic Greek does not change the fact that it is itself dead as a widespread conversational language and they are not the same despite definite familiar resemblance.
Never see the grammar in your first encounter with a language.
Make sentences in modern Greek.
Find someone that speaks modern Greek who at the same time is fluent in koine and orthodox Church language.
Easier said than done :D
What is difference between koine and modern?
Ancient Greek is not a “dead” language. It is alive and well within today’s Greek.
Not ancient Greek.
@@thomaswest4033 you should define Ancient Greek. Homeric? Classical? Hellenistic coine? Those are the three forms of “Ancient Greek”. A modern Greek can understand the koine form almost fluently, whilst 85% of the vocabulary in Homeric Greek is still in use today throughout the derivatives and the particles that keep reproducing this superb living tongue to this day. So it is simply “Greek”.
According to UNESCO, Greek and Chinese are the only living languages with direct connection to their archaic origins on the planet.
Only one who speaks modern Greek fluently can partake in this blissful timelessness, to the annoyance of those who would like to shun it.
This may shed some light: th-cam.com/video/-BvKpk7SUrQ/w-d-xo.html
Tamil too.@@panagiotisterpandrouzachar7754
how to say “gyatt” in ancient greek? please help